Shafer Trail

Shafer Trail is low maintenance dirt and rock road that goes from hwy 313 near the Canyonlands National Park entrance down to Potash at the end of hwy 279 west of Moab. Starting from the top at 5900ft, the road descends quickly with large switchbacks into Shafer Canyon. The cliffs are steep but the road is wide enough and has several places to pass. From the canyon floor the road intersects with the eastern end of the famous White Rim trail. Beyond the intersection it continues eastward with occasional views of the Colorado River until reaching Potash at 4300ft, and finally hwy 279 towards Moab.

There are no trees or shade and the road consists of crushed sedimentary rock. Some of these rocks are sharp and will punish stock tires. Make sure your spare is ready. Most of the road is on the canyon floor passing spectacular mesas and spires.

The majority of the road could be traversed with 2WD with reasonable ground clearance. There are a few ruts but nothing a standard SUV could not handle during the non-winter months. Along the way, there are several 4x4 areas that could be explored increasing the difficulty of the trail. Estimated trail distance is about 17miles one-way. Research date: July 2002

MachineMan